Fluid heating systems, including steam, hydronic (water), and thermal fluid boilers, constitute a broad class of devices for producing a heated fluid for use in domestic, industrial, and commercial applications. In many such systems, heat energy is generated by a burner that consumes a fuel-air mixture in a sustained combustion process. Thermal energy from the combustion is then transferred from the hot combustion gases to a production fluid by a heat exchanger before the cooled combustion gas is released into the environment. In some fluid heating systems the fuel-fired burner is engineered as an integrated unit in concert with a blower, the heat exchanger, fluid conduits, and control system. Other fluid heating systems utilize a separate pre-assembled or “packaged” burner unit that can include a burner, blower, windbox, piping, wiring, flame safeguard, and a control system.
The production capacity of commercial fluid heating systems decreases during use. In addition, modern mesh burners, which are desirable to obtain high efficiency and satisfy emissions requirements, have an undesirable failure rate. Thus there remains a need for a heating system that provides a more stable production capacity and improved lifetime.